[The evaluation of humoral immunity response in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)].

The purpose of the study was the assessment of humoral response markers in 20 patients with SSPE in phase I, II and III of the disease during immunomodulating treatment. In the CSF IgG levels were determined by nephalometric method, with its share in the total protein level, and with determination of the local IgG synthesis in CNS by Reiber method, 24-hour IgG synthesis by Tourtellotte-Boce method, IgG index by Link-Tibbling method and albumin index. Oligoclonal IgG was determined by isoelectrofocusing. All mathematical tests indicating IgG synthesis in CSF were abnormal in all cases, and also in all cases oligoclonal IgG was found (type 3 of electrophoresis separation pattern). The results point to far reaching changes of the humoral immune response in SSPE persisting also during immunomodulating treatment independently of disease phase and duration. In only 10% of cases abnormal values of the albumin index suggested damage to the blood-brain barrier.